A human trafficking program that has helped thousands of vulnerable women and girls in the London area has been granted an extended lease on life -- but only for one month.
The London Abused Women’s Centre (LAWC) announced on Wednesday that it has received around $14,000 in donations from generous Londoners, in an effort to keep the agency’s federal human trafficking program from being shut down this coming Friday. However, the extra funds will only allow the program, which is run in conjunction with the Salvation Army, to continue until June 30.
LAWC Executive Director Megan Walker said the federal government has allocated $75 million to support programs for trafficked and sexually exploited women and girls, such as the one in London, however, these funds have not been distributed. She said the government of Canada has insisted on a third year of consultation before distributing funds.
"It is not the community's responsibility to fund essential services. That is the responsibility of the government and it's just not sustainable to continue to rely on the community, as generous as they are, to continue to come forward," Walker told BlackburnNews.com.
Walker said she received an incredible amount of support through phone calls and letters expressing outrage over the government's choice to delay government funding for programs like the one at the LAWC.
"Based on the response we've had, I'm confident in saying the Trudeau government is failing all women, because when one woman suffers, all women suffer," said Walker. "This is supposed to be a feminist government but I can tell you that a feminist government would never wipe out programs for this [vulnerable] population."
The human trafficking program in London has helped 650 trafficked and exploited women and girls in the five years since its inception and thousands more who were at risk of being trafficked. LAWC received $166,000 in government funding each year, which Walker said helped save lives.
Previously funded organizations like La Cles in Montreal, Reset in Calgary and LAWC in London, have either closed or are being forced to close their anti-trafficking programs.
"All young girls are at risk," she said. "Over the past two months, we have spoken with six separate family members who reported to us that their underage girls were lured online and provided naked photographs... This is a reality, not only in London, Ontario, but across the entire country and this government needs to make a decision to either turn its back on vulnerable and marginalized women and girls, or come to the table and fund services."
Walker added that unless federal government parties come together in solidarity for marginalized and vulnerable women and girls, she is unsure if the human trafficking program can be saved.
